PORTLAND, Ore. – Portland Thorns FC announced today that forward Christine Sinclair and goalkeeper Karina LeBlanc have been called up by the Canada Women’s National Team for an international friendly against the U.S. Women’s National Team on Sunday, June 2, at BMO Field in Toronto.
Sinclair and LeBlanc are scheduled to depart for Toronto following Saturday’s match against Seattle Reign FC at Starfire Sports Complex in Tukwila, Wash. The pair will return to Portland on June 3, missing the Thorns FC home match against the Chicago Red Stars on June 1 at JELD-WEN Field.
In a rematch of a London 2012 Olympics semifinal match, the United States and Canada square off for the first international friendly to take place during the National Women’s Soccer League season. The game, at the home of Major League Soccer side Toronto FC, is already sold out; kickoff is 1:30 p.m. (Pacific) with a live national broadcast on ESPNews.
Sinclair, 29, has scored 145 international goals in 196 appearances for Canada since making her national team debut as a 16-year-old in 2000. The former University of Portland standout ranks third all-time in international goals behind the United States’ Mia Hamm (158) and Abby Wambach (155). Sinclair recorded a hat-trick against the U.S. Women’s National Team on Aug. 6, 2012, in a 4-3 London 2012 Olympic semifinal loss in extra time. The Thorns FC forward has recorded three goals and one assist in seven games this season for Portland, earning NWSL Player of the Month honors for April.
LeBlanc, 33, has earned 105 international caps for Canada, most recently featuring for the national team on March 8, 2013, in a 2-1 win against Finland at the Cyprus Cup. LeBlanc, who is tied for the NWSL lead with an 0.57 goals-against average, has been named to the national team roster for the FIFA Women’s World Cup four times (1999, 2003, 2007, 2011) and has participated in two Olympic Games (2008, 2012), earning a bronze medal last summer in London. A native of the Caribbean island of Dominica, LeBlanc made her Canada Women’s National Team debut as an 18-year-old in 1998.
Canada’s 19-player roster for the international friendly against the United States features 14 players that representing the NWSL. Canada’s last victory against the United States came on March 11, 2001, in a 3-0 win at the Algarve Cup in Portugal.
